Fife to receive £150,000 broadband investment boost
Rural residents and businesses in the Scottish region of Fife have received a boost after it was announced that £150,000 was to be invested in bringing superfast broadband to the area.
The one-off investment, which is coming from Fife Council, is going to be targeting the final 1.6 per cent of Fife premises that are not currently included in the Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband (DSSB) rollout.
Fife Council hopes that the investment will see positive returns, with new businesses able to open up in the area, as well as providing a boost for the region.
As the rural areas of Fife are not to be included within the DSSB plans, the council is working with Community Broadband Scotland (CBS) along with local community groups to deliver faster broadband for the homes and businesses in the east of Scotland.
However, concerns have been raised about the "paltry" amount of CBS funding awarded to Fife in the last three years, the Dunfermline Press reported.
Councillor Lesley Laird, depute leader and executive spokesperson for economy and planning, said: "Fast internet access is essential for Fife-based firms and residents to increase connectivity, boost business growth and drive competitiveness.
"That's why Fife Council is investing in this new infrastructure that will further transform the ability of Fife to attract investment, create jobs and help make Fife the best place to do business. The additional funding and new projects are crucial steps in enabling people across Fife to get connected at home or work any time, using any decide."
The UK Government has set a target for 95 per cent of Britain to be able to access superfast broadband by the end of 2017. The five per cent not included in this are mostly rural, hard-to-reach areas that are very expensive to get the necessary broadband infrastructure to, which makes projects such as this one in Fife extremely important.
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